Chapter 3, Verse 10
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः | अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ||३-१०||
sahayajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā purovāca prajāpatiḥ . anena prasaviṣyadhvameṣa vo.astviṣṭakāmadhuk ||3-10||
Meaning
3.10 The Creator, having in the beginning (of creation) created mankind together with sacrifice, said, "By this shall ye propagate; let this be the milch cow of your desires (the cow which yields all the desired objects)."
Word-by-Word Meaning
Explanation & Commentary
Krishna reaches back to the dawn of creation. Prajapati, the Creator, brought forth humanity together with yajna — the principle of sacrifice woven into existence from the very start. Sacrifice was given as the kamadhuk, the wish-fulfilling cow that yields all that beings rightly need to flourish.
The vision is one of cosmic reciprocity. Life is not designed for solitary taking but for mutual giving; we thrive by participating in a great circle of offering and receiving. Sacrifice is thus not a burden imposed from outside but the original blueprint of well-being. When we live in this spirit of contribution rather than mere consumption, our needs are met and the whole web of life prospers. To give is built into the architecture of creation itself.
💡 Key Takeaway
Giving and contributing are woven into the design of life — live as part of the great cycle of offering, and your true needs are met.
Related Verses
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः | तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्गः समाचर ||३-९||
yajñārthātkarmaṇo.anyatra loko.ayaṃ karmabandhanaḥ . tadarthaṃ karma kaunteya muktasaṅgaḥ samācara ||3-9||
3.9 The world is bound by actions other than those performed for the sake of sacrifice; do thou, therefore, O son of Kunti (Arjuna), perform action for that sake (for sacrifice alone), free from attachment.
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः | परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ||३-११||
devānbhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ . parasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ paramavāpsyatha ||3-11||
3.11 With this do ye nourish the gods and may those gods nourish you; thus nourishing one another, ye shall attain to the highest good.
इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः | तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ||३-१२||
iṣṭānbhogānhi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ . tairdattānapradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ ||3-12||
3.12 The gods, nourished by the sacrifice, will give you the desired objects. So, he who enjoys the objects given by the gods without offering (in return) to them, is verily a thief.